Getting pregnant is most often a matter of chance. The length of time it could take for a couple to conceive varies a great deal.

Conception may not always occur even if the egg and sperm are at the right place at the right time. Some couples may be lucky and conceive on the first month itself, while others may take more than a year. And that doesn't necessarily mean that there's anything wrong with the couple that's taking longer to conceive.

The Age Factor
Though the chances of getting pregnant in each cycle could vary according to a wide range of factors, one factor that surely impacts conception is the woman's age. Research indicates that while a woman aged 20-25 has a 25% chance of conceiving in each cycle, a woman in the age group of 30-35 has only a 15% chance. And the likelihood of becoming pregnant continues to decline thereafter with increasing age.

Thus on an average, a couple in their early 20s may take five cycles to conceive, and women in their early 30s may take nine. And one in ten couples usually take more than a year to conceive.

Reasons to see the Doctor
Most fertility experts advise couples to have regular sexual intercourse without contraception for a year, before going for medical investigation. However, you could ask your Doctor to start the tests if you have been trying for 6 months and if any of the following apply to you:

• You feel you may be having problems with ovulation - because of very long or irregular menstrual cycles
• You are over 30 and you feel that 'time is running out'
• If either of you has a sexually transmitted disease
• If you have had abdominal or pelvic surgery

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